


More Bodies In the Library

by ALC_Punk



Category: Agatha Christie's Marple (TV 2004)
Genre: Fluff and silliness, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-11
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:02:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24657283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ALC_Punk/pseuds/ALC_Punk
Summary: A ficlet set in the aftermath of Jane Marple adding a few more bodies to Dolly's library.
Relationships: Dolly Bantry & Jane Marple
Kudos: 3





	More Bodies In the Library

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a prompt about bad-ass grandmothers. I suppose Jane Marple counts more as a bad-ass auntie. And while I probably lean towards this belonging in a nebulous Miss Marple universe, I'm very certain it's probably not book-canon, hence posting it in the Marple canon tag (I at least know it's Marple Dolly in my head).

"Really, Jane. Must you litter in the library?"

Looking up from where she was carefully re-winding a ball of wool in a particularly vile shade of lime green (her nephew would profess to adore it, she was sure), Jane Marple gave a slight shrug. Not that a lady really allowed herself a shrug, but one must, in these more modern times.

"I did warn them," she said to Dolly, who was eyeing the three men in various states of pain and unconsciousness upon her rather luridly green (and now red) and gold carpet. The one that had replaced the last runner (chorus girls being murdered turned one off of carpets, or so Dolly said). "I told them they reminded me quite firmly of the three Gable brothers, and the bad end they came to. But they simply wouldn't listen."

"And blood all over again. Really, Jane, if I can't depend on you for your exceptional cleanliness, whatever is the world coming to?" A sniff escaped Mrs. Bantry, but she wasn't entirely upset, as the gleam of Very Interesting Gossip was in her eyes as she continued to survey the scene.

"Simply replace it."

"I suppose. Mind, I shall have to beg Arthur to let me have another runner. He did kick up such a fuss over the expense after the last one."

Rather possibly he'd kicked it up at being a murder suspect, but Jane Marple wasn't going to disagree with her long-time friend. Not over this, at least.

"Perhaps one that won't show blood stains so well," suggested she as she inspected a knitting needle, frowning when she found that it had bent upon impact with one of her assailants. One really needed a stronger needle core if one were to be using them as a piercing weapon, she'd discovered long ago. And not quite forgotten, but possibly miss-placed that fact when she'd ordered this set.

"Yes." Dolly heaved a sigh and prodded one of the splayed men with her toe. A moue of distaste curled over her lips as he let more blood out of the hole in the side of his leg. "I suppose I'd better telephone the inspector. Let him know there's been an incident with a burglar."

"Surely, they're spies."

A polite lie, of course. The inspector never wanted to know about the bodies, not when Jane was involved. He found her far too eccentric to deal with. "Mmm. German spies, then."

Jane clicked her tongue and shook her head, "Russians, Dolly. Remember, we're under the _Red Menace_ now. Must keep up with the times."

A snort escaped Dolly, and it wasn't polite in the least. "Yes. The Russians."

Raising her brows at the derisive tone, Jane didn't really feel urged to take her to task. There were more skeins and balls to re-situate, anyway. And she should probably clean the blood from her best crochet hook.

Heaving out a sigh that sounded far too theatrical, Dolly announced: "Very well, do try not to kill anyone else while I'm away from the room."

"There were only the three of them, I expect your carpets will survive."

Knowing there would be no reply, Jane settled down with her handkerchief (a lady always carried quite a few, after all), and began to clear the blood from her person and items. The nearby carafe of quite cheap vodka (Arthur Bantry knew his clarets, not his vodkas) worked to remove most of the stains.

Wouldn't do for Dolly's rug, sadly.


End file.
